Rotary snowplow



Oct. 26, 1954 R. c. DARNELL 2,692,445

ROTARY SNOWPLOW Filed June 24, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. flex C. Oar/7e I? TT RNEYS R. c. DARNELL 2,692,445

ROTARY SNOWPLOW YSheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1948 .QAI

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ROTARY SNOWPLOW Filed June 24, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet. 4

' I INVENTOR.

Rex C. 00/778 ATTO/PNE Y5 R. C. DARNELL ROTARY SNOWPLOW Filed June 24, 1948 II E a n:

Sheets-Sheet I v INVENTOR. A ex C flaw/7e A TTORNE Y6 R. C. DARNELL' ROTARY SNOWPLOW Oct, 26, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 24, 1948 INVENTOKK 196): C. Dar/76W ATTORNEYS GH E Oct. 26, 1954 R. c. DARNELL 2,692,445

ROTARY SNOWPLOW Filed June 24, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR. IPGX C. 067/"/7E// ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTARY SNOWPLOW Rex C. Darnell, Dexter, Mich.

Application June 24, 1948, Serial No. 34,873

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a rotary snow plow and has particularly to do with a system and apparatus for removing accumulated snow from roads, walks and other surfaces.

The present invention contemplates a powerdriven snow plow of the type having a blower for dispelling snow fed thereto. It is an object to provide a snow plow which is self-propelling and which may be readily operated by one man.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a traction means for a plow which will not clog or slip in any condition of the snow or ice on which it is running.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a vacuum fan and feed arrangement in which snow is moved from a feed auger back to a fan vortex without any packing or concentration thereof and thus eliminating danger of fouling. In addition a backed fan is used to prevent ice and snow film from hindering the fan rotation.

For use in a tractor type plow of the handtype it is essential that a light power system be utilized to its greatest efiiciency since it must propel the tractor, drive the feed auger and drive the dispelling fan. The present invention contemplates a light, well balanced unit fully stabilized and adjustable for snow depth. It contemplates also a unit in which, regardless of snow depth, fouling and stalling are prevented with substantially constant speed auger and fan operation. Reverse of fan direction is permitted together with reversal of snow throw, and vacuum regulation insures maximum efiiciency of auger and fan at all times.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hand control system for immediate adjustment of forward speed and auger height without stopping the tractor movement.

An additional related object is the provision of an inexpensive traction speed control device adaptable to quick and easy adjustment.

Other objects and features of the invention relating to details of construction of the feed auger, general construction for winter operation, and details of operation will be more fully described in the following description and claims.

I am presenting drawings to illustrate the features of my invention and the various views may be briefly described as:

Figure 1, a side view of an assembled tractor showing the position of operation.

Figure 2, a front view of the snow remover showing the auger arrangement.

Figure 3, a vertical section view of the unit showing various details of construction.

Figure 3A, an elevation .of a clutch control handle.

Figure 4, a plan view of the snow plow tractor showing some of the details of the power connections and controls.

Figure 5, a sectionalview on line 5-5 of Figure 3 omitting the feed screw for clarity.

Figure 6, a sectional view of a transmission and speed control means showing certain parts displaced for clarity.

Figure 7, a detail view of a transmission drive for the fan and snow auger showing a reverse mechanism for the fan.

Figure 8, a diagrammatic sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 4, limited to the speed drive control.

Figure 9, a sectional view of a portion of a traction wheel taken on line .99 of Figure 1.

Figure 10, an enlarged view of a slip joint used in speed control.

Figure '11, va vertical section through the axle showing only the frame, axle drive, and wheel.

Figure 12, a section of the ratchet wheel drive on line 12-42 of Figure 11.

Figure'lii, a vertical lengthwise section of the frame.

Figure 14, a detail of the axle bearing support; and

Figure ,15, a detailed view of a cover plate fastening means.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the traction means for the tractor consists of wheels 20 having traction rims 2|. These wheels are suit. ably mounted on an axle 22 which supports a mounting frame through journal plates 22A on side walls 23 and 2.4 forming part of the frame of thetractor. These walls 23 and 24 rise from a common bottom plate and are connected by inverted u-shaped angle members 25 .and 26 at each end of the housing (Figs. 11 and 13). The walls 23 and 24 are angled at the top edge and slotted at 21 to receive the axle 22. The top edges are reinforced by angle bars and the slot may be bridged by a reinforcing strap 21A. A cover plate, described later, completes the housing. An engine 28 issupported on the mounting frame at the rear of the tractor housing, and the oil sump 29 rests on the bottom plate 30 which is integral with the side plates 23 and 24. Pivoted'to each side wall of the main frame section, as shown best in Figure 4, is a yoke 32. The

pivot points may be identified as 33 and 34. At the back central portion of the yoke 32 is a widened portion 36 provided with a vertical bore to receive the stanchion 38 of a caster wheel support 33. The caster wheel is mounted in suitable bearings in the bifurcate support 39 and furnishes support for the rear portion of the assembly. The machine is so designed that the center of gravity lies behind the axle 22. The wheel 40 also absorbs any torque reaction developed in operation.

The yoke 32 has a flared end 43, Fig. 3, which extends forwardly of the pivot point 33. This end has rack teeth which are positioned to cooperate with a bell crank latch 46 pivoted at 47. This latch is held in locked position by a spring 48 and is controllable by a rod 50 which extends rearwardly to a point adjacent the left grip 52 of handle shafts 54 which are fastened at 55 to the respective sides 23 and 24 of the main frame. The handle shafts 54 are connected by a bar 53. Pivoted on the left handle 54 is an actuating lever 5! projecting toward the grip 52 and connected to the rod 50 so that thumb or finger action on the lever 51 will permit locking latch 45 to be released. Thus the position of the caster wheel 40 may be shifted relative to the assembly. This shifting will raise or lower the front end of the machine.

At the front end of the machine, mounted on the frame made up of the bottom plate 30 and side walls 23 and 24 joined by U-shaped angle members 25 and 26, is a fan housing 00 and a feed or distribution housing box 62. On the fan housing is a snow spout 54 with an outlet opening directed up and to the side of the machine. This outlet housing 04 is fastened by swinging wing nuts at 66 so that it may be readily reversed to direct cleared snow to the left rather than to the right.

The contour of the fan housing 60 is best shown in Figures 3 and 5. The housing 60 is closed at the front by a wall 51 at the bottom and a wall 68 at the top, each of which are joined to the housing 52. The housing 62 has a relatively fiat cover box 69 which forms the top of the housing and the sides 59A, and 693 down to the centerline of the fan.

The lower portion of housing 62 is formed by a shaped piece I0 which at the front edge forms horizontal and vertical leading edges of the snow scoop. The walls of this scoop are shaped and blended back to a circular opening II at the lower half of the fan and smaller than the fan radially. The sides 12 and I4 join with sides 69a and 69b of the top box cover 59 and are joined with the front wall 6'! which completes the front of the fan housing around to the horizontal centerline of the fan. The plate 38 which forms the front of fan housing 50 also extends between housings 60 and 62 to complete the fan opening at 68A.

At the front edge of the walls 12 and 14 at point 16 is mounted in suitable bearings a shaft H which supports the forward augers I8 and I9 for rotation (Fig. 2).

The augers l8l9 lie at the lower front entrance to distribution box 62 within the snow scoop I0. Above the augers a plate pivoted at 8| depends across the opening above the auger. The function of this plate 80 will be described later. The snow scoop I0 with sides I2 and I4 makes a channel cut as it feeds into the snow.

The snow auger or screw I8'I9 consists of two blades 78 and I9 each of which feed to the center of the machine as viewed in Figure 2.

The auger is intended to rotate at about 650 R. P. M. and is preferably about 10 in diameter with a 4 pitch. The auger blades are ribbon in nature rather than solid. This simplifies construction but more important serves much more effectively to break up and lighten snow as it enters the machine. The ribbon augers are supported from the axle by spokes and the construction is such that due to the rotation the augers function as solid blades without the clan-- ger of clogging and fouling that might result with solid blades. It will be noted that the inner ends 18A and 19A of augers 'i'8'i9 are displaced 180. This avoids a coinciding V formation which might cause a jamming on large ice blocks. Each end is supported by a spoke 35.

The auger is driven by a pulley 81 and a belt 88. Pulley 01 is mounted on unidirectional shaft journaled at one end on arm 9I leading from fan housing 60 and at the other end in a transmission housing 94. A chain drive may be used but whatever drive is .used, a suitable safety guard and snow fender should be provided.

In Figure '7 the transmission housing '94 is shown in section. Drive shaft from engine 28 turns gear 96 which drives spiral gear 91 on shaft 90. Also mounted on shaft 90 are drive pulleys 98 and 99 (Fig. 4) which will be described later in connection with forward traction power.

In housing 94 is a fan shaft H30 which projects into fan housing 00 in the form of a hub I0 I. splined on shaft I00 is a double gear )2 which in the position shown engages gear I03 on drive shaft 95. Shaft 95 also carries a gear I05 which drives reverse gear Iiil. When splined gear I02 7 is shifted to the left the teeth on a gear portion I03 will engage reverse gear I0! to cause reversal of rotation of shaft I00 and reversal of fan direction. A control yoke I06 on gear I02 is shiftable by a control rod H30 which may be remotely controlled by the operator through a lever l09A and suitable linkage. The direction of auger rotation remains unchanged when fan direction is reversed.

In fan housing 60 mounted on hub I 0I is a fan III) which consists of a circular back plate H2 and radial blades I I4. It will be noted that the diameter of the fan is much greater than the space between cover 69 and bottom plate '19 of entrance box 52. entrance for the fan which avoids back-pressure formation and turbulence. The fan is of rigid construction since the blades I54, which can be about 1 /2" wide, may be fastened directly to the back plate. The back plate serves to bafiie snow from the rear wall of the fan housing and thus prevents build up of snow behind the fan and consequent fan friction.

Drive shaft 95 in transmission housing 04 is connected by suitable universal joints M8 to a power shaft I20 out of a clutch I22 on engine 28. Clutch I22 is engaged and disengaged by an arm I24 actuated by suitable control shaft I25 and lever I26, Fig. 3A. The shaft I25 is formed at the lever end to provide an over center action so that the clutch is locked in' disengaged position until lever I26 is moved upward and forward. Engine 28 is preferably an internal combustion engine of relatively light weight which is operated to drive the fan at approximately 1000 R. P. M. The engine preferably should have a rating of 10 horsepower to drive a fan of 24 to 30 inches diameter.

The engine 28 also furnishes traction power.

There is thus formed a vortex A drive transmission illustrated in section in Fi ure 6 is found in housing I39 supported mainly by the axle 22 and fastened to the side of the main frame by a bracket I32. A gear I34 splined to axle 22 receives empowering force from a shaft I36 in housing I39 from gears I31, I38 and I39. Mounted on shaft I36 are pulleys I48 and I49 inline with pulleys 9B and 99 on shaft 90 (Fig. 4). Belts I59 and I5I connect these respective pulleys. Pulley I98 is substantially smaller than pulley I49 to provide a diiferent speed ratio. Belts I50 and I5I are loosely fitted on the paralleled pulleys and power can be transmitted from shaft 90 to shaft I36 only when one of the belts is tightened.

A forward speed control is provided by two pivoted arms I55 and I56 mounted respectively on an extension of shaft I36 and on an extension I61 of housing I30. As shown in Figure 8, arm I55 is extended upwardly to a lever I58. On the ends of arms I55 and I56 are idle pulleys I63 and I64. Fastened to extension I58 is a pull tube I68 consisting of a pipe slotted at I69. A rod I10 slides in pipe I68 and a cross pin I1I in rod I19 may slide in slot I69, (Fig. 10). Rod I19 connects to a triangle plate I12 fastened, through a shaft I14, to a control lever I15 pivoted on cross bar 56. The triangle plate I12 is suitably pivoted at I13. When lever I15 is pulled back it will shift pull bar I68 rearward and move lever I58 rearward. This movement lifts arm I55 and idle pulley I 63 against belt I50 tightening the belt and causing rotation of smaller pulley I48 and forward movement of the tractor at the higher speed.

Fastened to lever I59 is a push bar I19 to which is fastened at the rear end a tube I99. Slidable in tube I89 is a bar I9I leading back to triangle I12. When lever I15 and shaft I14 are moved forward, bar I6! moves against bar I19 to push arm I56 forward. Idle pulley I64 engages and tightens belt I5I leadingto the larger pulley I49 and the tractor moves forward at the slower speed.

When lever I15 is moved forwardly, the pin I1I slide in slot I 69 to relieve movement of tube I68. When lever I15 is pulled back slip joint I89 relieves movement of bar I19.

The traction wheels 2I are designed for operation in snow and on ice alike and with equal effectiveness. As shown in Figure 9, the center portions 29 of the Wheels may be formed as relatively thin discs while the traction rims 2I should be radially about 10% of the diameter. For example, with a 20" wheel, a rim of two inches will suffice. The rim is zig-zag in configuration and the width of the V in each case is such that a relatively large opening is left at the bight in each case. The rims are out so that the edges as finally formed are on the true periphery of the wheel. With this construction snow cannot pack into the cleats. It extrudes through the cleats when there is any tendency to pack. When the wheels are running on ice the relatively thin V-cleats A; or an inch is suitable) will, by the operation of the pressure principle, melt or cut into the ice and provide adequate traction.

The wheels are connected to the axle 22 by a ratchet pawl drive shown in Figure 12 and of well known construction. This permits ease of turning as the tractor is maneuvered.

T -e frame of the tractor has been described as made up of inverted U-bars 25 and 26 and the Li shaped bottom 99 and sides 23 and 24. The remainder of the sides is formed by trapezoidal plates I90 and I92 which are bolted to the frame.

On top of the entire structure a cover plate I95 is fastened by loops I96, hooks I91 and springs I98 (Fig. 15). ably closed by a back pawl I99.

In the operation of the snow plow, the auger is first set for depth by the adjustment of the caster wheel 40 as described. The lever I15 may then be moved forward or back depending on whether slow or fast forward traction is desired. The snow scoop 10 cuts a square channel in the snow as it progresses. As the auger moves into the snow it will toss it toward the center of the machine and meanwhile the fan III) is creating a vacuum within box 62. The snow will be pulled through the auger into box 62 where it will be caught up by the air moving through the auger opening and drawn to the fan. The fan forcefully dispels the snow out of the spout 65.

At all times in this operation the object is to break up and lighten the snow rather than to impact it. The restricted vortex inlet to the fan insures positive air movement at all times.

When deep snow is encountered of levels above the auger height, the suction in the distribution box 62 will be materially increased since air inlet through the auger will be decreased. Under these circumstances the pivoted plate or vane will be sucked inwardly to furnish mixing air to the fan, and snow that is above the auger will be sucked in above the auger to the fan vortex. The plate 89 has sufiicient weight that it will maintain a predetermined suction in the distribution box during all normal operation.

The entire mechanism housing made up of bottom wall 30, side walls 23 and 24, I90 and I92, the rear wall of fan housing 60 and rear wall I99, is closed at the top by cover plate I95. I propose to discharge exhaust from engine 28 at muffler 200 having outlet 20I into this closed housing to insure that all parts are kept heated and dry and to insure slight pressure within the housing. This will keep out finely powdered snow and prevent fouling of the engine. All shaft openings in the housing walls are preferably sealed by suitable packing.

The fan direction may be reversed, while the engine is running, by clutch disengagement and actuation of reverse lever I09A. The discharge spout 64 can be easily shifted to the other side by removal of wing bolts 66.

What I claim is:

A snow clearing machine for transferring snow particles in suspension from a defined ground area to an indeterminate area which comprises a frame and an automotive prime mover supported on said frame, traction wheels supporting said frame to be driven by said prime mover, a forward overhanging portion on said frame balanced by said prime mover, a high-speed ribbontype auger mounted at a clearing level on said overhanging portion to be driven by said prime mover, means on said frame forming a vacuum chamber behind said auger having an opening just rearward of said auger coextensive in length therewith, a high-speed vacuum-creating and centrifugal snow-dispelling fan mounted on said frame at the rear of said vacuum chamber to be driven by said prime mover to receive snow in suspension from said chamber, said fan comprising a circular back plate and radial plates normal thereto mounted on said back plate, means surrounding said fan including an outlet passage directed away from the path of said auger, and a depending pivoted front plate sus- The back of the housing is suitpended above said auger at the forward portion of said vacuum chamber, said depending plate beingadapted to admit air to said distribution box when increased vacuum Within the box is caused by large snow loads.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Lathrop Apr. 4, 1876 Larsen et a1 June 20, 1916 McLaughlin July 4, 1916 Stenson Sept. 12, 1916 Canfield Aug. 8, 1922 Tully July 24, 1923 Fahrney Mar. 31, 1925 Number Name :Date Wandscheer June 1, 1926 Gettelman Jan. 3,1928 Fahrney Jan. 10, 1928 Musil et a1 Dec. 18, 1928 Wolters Apr. 16,1929 Polak Jan. 7, 1930 Tatter Oct. 28, 1930 Wandscheer Dec. 15,1931 Voorderman Apr. 23, 1940 Klauer June 2, 1942 Turtle May 15, .1945 Wandscheer Aug. 7, '1945 Wandscheer Oct. 30,1945 Tuttle Oct. 1, 1946 Greer .July 5, 1949 Vanvick Feb. 26, 1952 

